Skolkovo startups win prizes for devices designed for disabled people

Two Skolkovo-backed startups, Motorica and Caterwil, have been awarded Hope in Technology prizes by the Trade and Industry Ministry in the category of social projects using rehabilitation technologies and devices.

Ilya Chekh, head of Motorica (left) and Ivan Nevzorov, founder of Caterwil (centre) receiving their prizes at Skolkovo's Hypercube building during the Hope in Technology forum last week. Photo: Sk.ru.

The hi-tech startups were presented with their prizes at the closing of the Hope in Technology forum devoted to the rehabilitation industry that took place at Skolkovo’s Hypercube on Dec. 1.

Motorica, a resident of Skolkovo’s biomed cluster, won the prize for its cable-operated prosthetic hands for children. The company uses 3D printing to makes its prostheses, and is currently preparing to release its first myoelectric model for adults. Motorica recently organised a conference devoted to Russia’s hi-tech prosthesis market.

Caterwil, a Novosibirsk-based company that is in the process of becoming a Skolkovo resident, won the award for its electric wheelchairs equipped with caterpillar tracks that enable users to go up and down stairs in the chair, as well as tackle curbs and other obstacles.

Both companies sent teams to Zurich back in October to demonstrate their technology at the world’s first international Cybathlon, a competition for disabled people using assistive technologies. Following the event, a Russian Cybathlon Federation was set up to develop the creation of technology designed to help disabled people. Both Caterwil and Motorica are founding partners of the domestic federation.